


broken doll

by Cmt



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Eating Disorders, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Physical Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sad, Self-Harm, bughead - Freeform, im sorry, this moves to quickly, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-06-24 12:52:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15631056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cmt/pseuds/Cmt
Summary: It takes Betty a while to realise that her relationship is everything but healthy, when she finaly does, the sweet barista Jughead is there for her.(This was never meant to be published, I apologize in advance for how poorly written this is)





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I started writting this a while ago and I never intented to post it, but here we are.
> 
> This is something that I'll write if I'm bored, updates will be slow and my writing style will most likely change throughout.
> 
> This story could be VERY triggering so please read the tags. I am lucky enough to say I've never had a first hand experience with physical abuse and I'm aware that the type in this could be seen as the obvious type of abuse but I hope I manged to write it well.
> 
> If you are going through was Betty is going through in this story, I BEG you to speak out. Talk to someone you trust, abuse is never okay and can never be excused.
> 
>  
> 
> Last of all, enjoy the story.

Betty was unsure if it was the sun shining through the window that woke her or if it was the loud bang coming from the living room, whatever it was, Betty tried her best to ignore it and go back to sleep. After finally dozing off for another 30 seconds the bedroom door swung open.

Betty shot up as she watched her boyfriend of two years rip apart their bedroom in a frenzy.

"Babe?" Betty asked, carefully.

"Where did you put it?" He stopped, and looked directly at Betty, who cowered ever so slightly under his harsh look.

"Put what?" Betty tried again, slowly getting out the bed to help him look for whatever it was that had got him so worked.

"My wallet, did you take it?" He flung the box of paperwork from Betty's job down on the floor.

"Of course I didn't, Adam. Why would you even think that?"

Adam walked over to Betty, looking her straight in the face before grabbing her arms, way too tight.

"You're such a lying bitch, where did you put it?" He squeezed tighter at Betty's arms.

"You're hurting me." Betty voice cracked as she felt tears brim at the bottom of her eyes.

"Where is it?" He screamed, shaking her arms slightly.

"Adam, I dont know."

He looked into her eyes once more, let out a noise of disgust and pushed her back before leaving the room with a slam of the door.

Betty stumbled back, tripping over something that had been left lying after the blonde man had recked the room, and fell landing funny on her wrist.

"Shit," She mumbled under her breathe as she immediantly cradled her sore wrist.

She sat for a minute, willing herself not to cry as she looked around the mess of the bedroom for the second time this week.

-the first had been when he had came home from work, angry and drunk off his ass. He started flinging things around as Betty sat in the bathroom waiting for it to be over.-

Slowly, she stood up, walking over to the space beside the bed, picking up the lamp that had been knocked over from him flinging something over in that direction. As Betty picked up the lamp she noticed that the 'something' was her phone which now had a cracked which reached from the front camera down to the home button.  
She sighed, placing it down on her bedside table.

It wasnt his fault, she knows he has anger issues and maybe if she had just helped him look, she wouldnt be in this situation.

She told herself this as she picked up her smashed butterfly ornimaint, plaing it in a drawer to be glued later.

 

About 20 minuetes later she had finished cleaning and was now perched on the edge of the bed, staring at her wrist which was starting to swell.

The bedroom door creaked open and Adam walked in, holding his wallet.

"Hey, baby." He said, sitting beside her.

'Baby' Betty learned that whenver he said that, he was apologizing -or drunk-

"Sorry for that, my wallet had fallen down the side of my chair. Guess i hadnt thought to check there." he laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh.

"It's fine." Betty said dryly, "I get it."

Adam leaned over and pressed a kiss to Betty's temple, before pulling her in for a short side hug. Betty flinched as he nudged her newly hurt wrist.

"Did you fall?" He asked, reaching for her hand and on instict she pulled away, and Adam reached for it again,

"Come on Betts, I'm not going to hurt you."

And if Betty hadnt been so blinded by love, she might have noticed the irony of the situation.

Hesitantly, she extended her hand out fo him to look at.

"Did you trip?"

"I...yeah, I tripped." Betty answered, her voice shaky. She wanted to tell him that he had done this but she didn't want to make him angry again, or worse, make him feel bad for hurting her.

"Oh doll, your so clumbsy." He laughed, leaning into her side,

She tried laughed along, "yeah"

Adam Kissed her on the check before standing up and holding out his hand to pull her up with him, she reached out her good arm, letting him pull her up.

"I say we go coffee at that new place round the cornor."

Betty smiled, "Sounds good."

As they walked together to the coffee shop, Betty found herself really wishing that she had iced her wrist.

"Are you listening, Betty?"

"Sorry, what did you say?"

He scoffed, "I asked if you wanted Chinnese for dinner?" He asked, disgust clear in his voice.

"Yeah, of course."

Soon they approched the coffee shop, it looked small and cozy. A warm orange glow filling the shop, and the baristas all smilling.

"Hello, what can i get for you guys today?"

Betty didnt have a chance to even look at the menu before Adam was answering the barista,

"One large caramell latte and a regular back coffee please."

The barista looked towards Betty as if asking for her order, but she just politley smilled,

"Alright, that'll be $9."

Adam handed over the money and the barista smilled down at Betty,

"Names?"

Betty opened her mouth to talk but Adam butt in again,

"Adam for the latte and betty for the black"

The barista, whose name tag read 'jughead' nodded.

"Okay, if you want to wait over here, it should be ready soon."

Adam mumbled a thanks before walking over to the desk where you collect your drinks.

"Hope you're okay with black coffee babe, I just figured you didnt need the extra calories."

Betty hated black coffee, she had told him this so many times, but instead of correcting him, she just smilled.

"Thank you for paying for me."

Adam didnt respond, instead leaned forward to kiss her head, leaning back when his phone rang in his pocket. Without even looking at it, he immedianlty excused himself to the bathroom.

"Order for Betty and Adam?"

Betty looked over to see the barista from earlier holding their drinks.

Without thinking she went over to grab them, but dropping hers immediantly after she had gripped it, completely forgetting about her wrist.

"Shit," She exclaimed as she scrambled to try and clean it up, grabbing napkins from the place they were stored behind her.

Jughead, had rushed from behind the tills to help her.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to drop it." She felt tears well up in her eyes again from embarrassment, Adam was going to kill her.

"Hey, its okay, accidents happen and clearly you're hurt, I'll clean it."

He stood up and offered her a hand up too, which she accepted.

"Betty?"

Both their eyes shot over to where Adam stood, phone in hand as he watched from the side.

"I forogt about my wrist and I dropped the cup, it was an accident."

Adam's face seemed to contort into one of an angry bull, just as jughead had come back with a mop,

"Its cool, she didnt mean it."

The tears that had been threating to fall the entire time finally slipped down her cheeks as they redend with embarresemt.

Jughead caught sight of the desheveled blonde and immediantly felt a pang in his chest, it was only a spilled drink? It wasnt like this was the first time someone dropped their coffee.

"I'll get you another one, free of charge"

Betty managed a quiet "Thank you, but you really dont have too."

Jughead smiled, "I want too."

As he passed adam his already made drink and Betty's fresh drink, making sure it wasn't her injured hand.

They left the shop, Adam practically running out of the shop as Betty followed behind,

"I hope your hand feels better soon!" Jughead called as they left the shop, Betty turned around and gave him a small smile watching as his own lips curled up into a smile.

As soon as they were about a meter away from the shop, Adam started yelling,

"You're so fucking embarrassing do you know that? I can't take you anywhere."

Betty said nothing, wiping the silent tears that made their way down her cheeks.

"Seriously, what the fuck was that?" Adam sneered, turning around to look at her, "and stop fucking crying, you're acting like a fucking child."

"Sorry..."

Adam grunted, "Whatever"

They walked the rest of the way home in silence, embarrassment eating at Betty with every step she took.

She was embarrising wasn't she?

Taking a deep breath, she managed to get the tears to stop, instead focussing on digging her nails into her palms, a habbit she had picked up as a kid.

Once they had arrived home, Adam went straight to the fride to grab a beer as Betty nursed her way too bitter, now cold, coffee.

She sat causiously on the sofa, watching Adam as he opened the beer, chugging about half of it before letting out an obnoxious burb.

"I'm ordering food, what do you want?"

Betty feeling bad about what had just happened decided that him buying her coffee was enough for the day,

"I'm good, I'm going to go lay down, but thank you though."

Adam shrugged, "Suit yourslef."

Betty made her way up the stairs to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

She sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror, her face was blotchy from crying,

She turned on the cold tap, splashing herslef with cold water, hoping that it would cool her face from the mass amounts of embarrassment she had put them through today. Her fists curled again at the memorys, and her breathing became ragged as she recalled the day.

The skin under her nails broke as she contined pressing, stoping when she felt a sharp pain shoot up her wirst. She winced and uncurled her hands. She had broken the skin again, she sighed, washing the blood away under the tap before walking out the bathroom.

It was barely even dinner time and already she felt exhausted.Not even bothering to change, she crawled into her bed, eventually she fell asleep.

Betty wasnt even sure how long she'd slept before she woke to the bed dipping beside her.

"Adam?"

"Heyyy babyy" He said, or more accurately, slurred, as he ran his fingers up and down her arm.

"What time is it?"

Adam looked at his watch, "9:15, you slepttt all dayyy."

"Yeah I guess I did."

Adam smirked and leaned over her, "Well you're up now."

He leant to kiss her and immediately Betty tasted the alcohol.

"Adam, you're drunk."

He groned, kissing her neck.

"I'm not, I'm horny."

Betty cringed at his bold words, "Sorry Adam, I'm not in the mood."

"You're never in the mood, " He mumbled still kissing her neck.

"Seriously, adam. Not tonight."

He pulled away and looked up to her eyes, "Please? We never do it anymore."

"Adam, I'm really tired..."

He scoffed, "Bullshit, you slept all day."

Betty didnt say anything as he moved back to her neck,

"Pleasee betts, i need youu."

Betty fought with herself in her head, she knew that there was no way she was going to enjoy this, but he seemed desperate and she'd hate to disappoint him.

"Okay."

He laughed, "Theres my girl."

He wasted no time getting straight to the point as Betty let him finish as she lay there, trying not to think about how much she didnt want this and tried to focus on how much she loved him.

After he was finished, he rolled over and pulled the covers over himself as Betty stood up,

"I'm going to shower." She told him and got no reply.

Betty left the room feeling more tired than when she had went, he body feeling heavy and...sore? Trying not to think about it, she turned the shower on and stepped in, letting the hot water relax her muscles.

After about 20 minuets betty finally got out, and made her way back into her bedroom to look for pyjamas.Betty opened the door to see Adam sprawled over the bed, still naked from the waist down and snoring.Betty sighed and headed over to her wardrobe, no pyjamas.

Figure's, Betty thought to herself, Adam hadn't done the laundry.

The agreement was Betty would do most of the cooking and cleaning and Adam would go out and work.

Betty disagreed immediately, this wasn't the 1950's and she wasn't a house wife, so Adam let up and said that she could work from home and he'd do part of the cleaning. Betty tried to convince him to let her go to actual work but he wouldn't have it, he didn't like Betty being where he wasn't there to watch her.

She gets it though, he has trust issues.

But this week was his to do the washing, and he hadn't.

Betty studied her closet for anything that could madly pass as pyjamas, considering wearing one of Adams shirts...

No, he hated when she wore his clothes.

Betty spotted a dress that sat at the back of the wardrobe.

It was the dress she wore when she had first meet Adam, that was the last time she had ever been to a club. He didn't like Betty going to clubs, even if he was there.

'All the drunk guys stare, you're for my eyes only.'

It made Betty miss the days where her and her friends would go out and have fun just because they could, because they were adults and no one could stop them now.

Betty thought for a moment, looking over her shoulder to her sleeping boyfriend.

Fuck it, she was an adult, no one could stop her.

She moved away from the dress and over to less flashy clothes.

Picking out a black skirt and a sheer white top she started to get ready, quickly drying her hair and leaving it down, naturally over her shoulders, before sliding on some white flats and a black thin jacket. She looked in the mirror, and sighed, Adam was going to be so pissed if he woke up and she was gone.

"Fuck it," she mumbled to herself, as she ordered an uber, "Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it."

As the uber pulled away from the apartment building, Betty pulled out her phone and sent him a text,

TO, Adam

away out, be home soon xx

 

The second she hit send, she felt panic set over her. What was she doing?

Shaking her head, attempting to dismissive the thoughts as the uber driver started making small talk,

"All alone tonight?"

"Uh yeah."

The uber driver looked at her in the rear view mirror,

"Shame, a pretty girl like you should never be alone."

Betty -in true Cooper fashion- forced a smile, "Thanks."

The awkward conversation died as the uber pulled up to a club called 'The Red Heel'.

It had a single sign hanging out front but apart from that, it was relatively hidden, and that's why it used to be one of Betty's favourites. It was always quite and they played good music.

"Thank you," she said politely leaving the uber.

Betty took a breathe, before composing herself and walking inside. As she thought, the club was kind of bare and it was no surprise considering that it was 10:30pm on a Monday.

She headed straight to the bar and took a seat at one of the bar stools. The bar tender,  
who Betty vaguely remembered hitting on last time she was here, came over.

"What will it be?"

"Can I have," Betty scanned the shelves behind him, "a captain and diet please."

"You got it, Cooper," he winked, passing her drink over to her.

Betty blushed and whispered a quiet 'thank you' as the bartender laughed and walked to the other side of the bar to help someone else.

Betty shook her coat off of her shoulders and placed it on her knee, for the small group of people who were actually dancing, you could defiantly feel the body heat.

She sipped her drink and let the taste calm whatever remaining nerves she had.

"It's Betty, right?"

Betty looked beside her to see a familiar face, but she couldn't place it.

"Yeah?" She answered

"It's Jughead, from the coffee shop?"

"Oh my god, hi." Betty felt her cheeks heat up as she relived the events from earlier that day in her head.

"Are you waiting on someone?" he asked, gesturing to the empty stool beside Betty,

"No, you can sit"

Jughead sat on the stool and ordered a beer,

"So, where's the boyfriend." Jughead asked, as he took a swig of his drink.

"He's at home, sleeping." Betty replied, gripping her jacket tighter as she hoped that he was still asleep.

Jughead nodded and the conversation died out. Betty sipped at her drink, trying not to let her brain think about the horribly awkward situation from earlier that day. Failing though, she felt her fingernails curl into the fabric of the jacket she was clutching, she tensed until a sharp pain in her wrist forced her too stop.

"I'm really sorry about what happened in the coffee shop earlier," Betty apologized quietly, "I really didn't mean for that to happen."

Jughead laughed as Betty blushed, "Its fine, seriously. It happens all the time. I just hope you did something about your wrist."

Both Jughead and Betty looked down to where Betty wrist lay on her lap.

"Yeah, I iced it." She lied, she had actually forgot about it about it until now.

Jughead let his eyes wonder from her wrist up her arms, taking in the outfit, he admired the way her skirt showed off her long legs and traced his eyes up to arms where he noticed the sheer top she had chosen to wear. He gasped quietly when his eyes drifted to her upper arms where two angry, purple marks were contrasting against her pale skin.

"Jughead?" she queried, but he didn't say anything, instead he opened and closed his mouth as if he was trying to figure out what to say, all the while just staring at her arm.

Baffled she looked down at her arm, to see the bruise that was forming on her arm.

"Oh," She lifted her jacket off of her lap, attempting to put it back on but Jughead caught her hand.

"Betty," He began gently, "Is someone hurting you?"

Betty panicked and tried to play it off,

"No," she laughed nervously, "I'm just clumsy."

"Jughead didn't say anything, just watched betty's face.

"Seriously! I'm fine."

Jughead nodded softly, "Okay,"

Betty felt herself begin to panic, Adam was going to freak on her if Jughead thought that he was hurting her.

Betty ignored the nagging thoughts at the back of her mind telling her that Adam did hurt her, and that she should tell Jughead or at least tell someone.

Shaking her head, she called the bartender over for a refill on her drink which she had chugged in attempt to cool her nervous state.

"Can I have another beer, as well."

Jughead handed money over to the bartender before betty had to chance to pay for her own drink,

"You didn't have to do that," Betty smiled shyly at him, and he shrugged,

"I know."

The bartender gave them their drinks and Jughead broke the silence that they had yet again fallen into,

"So betty, tell me about yourself."

Betty turned to face him, "What do you want to know?"

"Anything,"

Betty sighed, "I'm a pretty boring person,"

Jughead shook his head, "I don't believe that for a second," he thought for a moment, "Tell me about your job."

"Well I work from home and I write a column in a local newspaper called the 'New York Times'."

"What do you write about?" Jughead asked as he took a swig from his beer,

"I write about everything, from politics to talking dogs," Betty laughed, "Whatever's popular that week."

Jughead nodded as he listened to her talk, "And you work from home"? he questioned and Betty nodded, "How does that work?"

"I write the article on my laptop and I send it to the publisher, they email me it back if they want any changes made."

Betty sipped her drink, as Jughead tried not to focus on the way her lips wrapped around the straw and more on actually trying got get to know the blonde in front of him.

"That sounds overly complicated, wouldn't it be easier to just work in the building with everyone else?"

Betty nodded, "Yeah, so much easier but Adam prefers me to work form home."

Jughead hadn't liked Adam from the second he had seen him at work, and every time she mentioned him it just made him hate the boy even more.

"Why's that?"

And with the alcohol starting to remove Betty's filter she didn't hesitate to tell him.

"He doesn't like me being places where he isn't."

Jughead tensed, "Betty," he started, "that sounds kind of.."

"Controlling?" Betty finished for him, "Yeah my friend thinks so too, but it isn't his fault, he has trust issues"

"Yeah but Betty, his trust issues shouldn't stop you from living your life?"

Betty quickly shook her head, "They don't, I don't mind staying at home if it makes him feel better."

Jughead furrowed him brow unintentionally, "So if he doesn't like you being out alone, how are you here right now?"

"He's asleep." Betty said defensively as she downed half of her drink,

Jughead raised an eyebrow, "So he doesn't know?"

Betty raised her hands and turned away from Jughead, "Can we stop talking about my boyfriend please, he's not a bad person."

 

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

 

"Its fine." Betty said, finishing her drink and letting the conversation die again.

Jughead was a stranger, he had no right to accuse her boyfriend of that. Betty knew what it looked like, but that wasn't what was happening. Adam just had some problems and Betty knew he loved her. She knew.

As if on queue, Betty felt her phone buzzing in her coat pocket, she pulled it out and wasn't surprised to see it was Adam calling.

"Excuse me," She said politely to Jughead, as she hoped of the bar stool and headed towards the back door of the club,

"Hello?" Betty answered, cautiously,

"Don't fucking hello me Betty, where are you?"

"I'm at the red heel, I text you telling you I was out."

"'away out, be home soon.' yeah real fucking smart doll. So you wait until I'm asleep to sneak out?"

"No Adam, I didn't..."

"Yeah well, it sure fucking looks like it." he spat, "Are you with a guy?"

Betty's mind flashed to Jughead.

"No of course not."

She heard Adam scoff from the other end of the phone,

"Listen Adam, I would have..."

"You would have what? Asked to go? Woke me up? Don't fucking lie, Betty. You know what don't bother coming home tonight."

"Adam please just-"

The line cut of as Adam hung up and Betty's mouth hang open in shock. Don't come home?

She sniffed, wiping a tear she hadn't even realised had fallen, how could she be so fucking stupid? Of course leaving without saying anything would make Adam angry, she should have just stayed home.

Betty was full on sobbing now, she couldn't go home and she had no where else to stay. After she got with Adam, her and Kevin started talking less and less so it would be weird if she randomly showed up at his house asking to stay.

Betty leant on the wall behind her as she tried to focus on her berthing, failing though as her breathes became more strained and quick, she felt her self fall into a panic attack.

"Holy shit, Betty."

Betty didn't even have it in her to open her eyes to see who it was that was talking to her,

"Betty, look at me."

Slowly, Betty opened her eye to see Jughead standing in front of her,

"What happened?"

Betty shook her head, as the panic rose again, making her feel nauseous.

"I cant...I don't..I.."

"Hey hey, its okay." Jughead cooed as he hesitantly took Betty's hand, "Everything's going to be okay?"

Betty pulled away, "No...I did this...I-"

"I need you to breathe Betty," Jughead offered his hand again, but this time waiting for Betty to take it on her own, "Do you think you can do that?"

Betty tried her hardest to focus on breathing, but every breathe in felt like someone was stabbing her lung, and every breathe out felt like they were twisting the knife.

"Breathe with me, Betty." Jughead took her hands again, and made a point of waiting taking deeps breaths, doing so until Betty started to copy.

After a couple of painful chokes and gasps, Betty managed to shakily match her breathing to jug heads.

"That's it, focus on your breaths."

Betty continued breathing at the same pace until she felt herself start to ground. But it didn't last long as Betty felt something hot rise in her throat. In a second she hurried over to the bushes that were lining the side of the wall and hurled. She through up what felt like the entire contents of her stomach, all the while Jughead was beside her, holding her hair away from her face and rubbing her face.

After she was done, she slowly straightened up and wiped the corned of her mouth with her coat sleeve.

"I think we should get you home,"

Betty shook her head, "I can't go home."

"Okay, then you can come to mine." Jughead didn't ask questions, her only focus was getting Betty somewhere where she could rest.

Betty didn't argue either, just nodded as Jughead pulled out his phone to book an uber.

When the uber finally arrived, they rode in silence as Betty focused on not throwing up again and Jughead was trying to bite his tongue and hold back on asking Betty all the questions that were bouncing around in his head.

Once they pulled up, Jughead thanked the driver and they left the car.


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> violence warning!

"This way," Jughead said quietly, as he placed a hand lightly on Betty's back guiding her to the tall apartment building.

Betty couldn't stand the silnce as they stood in the small space of the lift.

"I'm sorry for this." She apologized for the third time that day, "About everything."

Jughead turned to look at her, "Seriously Betty, its okay."

Betty shook her head slightly, "Its not. Everytime I see you, I make a fool of myself."

"I don't think you're a fool,"

Betty rolled her eyes, "You really didn't have to help me."

Jughead laughed lightly, "Yeah, I was just going to abandon you."

"I would have figured it out." Betty called back, defensively.

"You probably would have," Jughead agreed, a smug look on his face, "But I don't mind helping you."

Betty sighed, and the elevator dinged. They stepped out of the lift, and Betty followed close behind Jughead as he led them to his apartment.

"Welcome, to my humble abode." Jughead called sarcastically, as he began to slide his shoes off. Betty stood awkwardly beside the door, taking in the boys apartment. It was small but not cramped and looked warm, like a proper home. Betty took notice of the beanie that Jughead was wearing in the coffee shop, she cringed again at the memory.

"You can take your shoes off, and uh I can take your jacket."

Betty shook her jacket off and passed it to Jughead, he hung it on a hanger next to his own. She slipped her shoes off and sat them next to Jughead's.

"I can sleep on the couch you can have the bed."

Betty instantly disagreed, "Oh no, that's okay. I'm fine on the couch."

"You sure? I don't mind."

"I'm sure." She replied quickly,

"Okay then," Jughead shrugged, "Come and I'll show you where the bathroom is."

Betty followed Jughead through a small hallway,

"There's the bathroom, there's a spare toothbrush under the sink and there's towels in that cabinet there," Jughead pointed to a small white cupboard, "In case you want to shower." Jughead turned to face Betty, "I'll get you a blanket."

Betty smiled in place of a thank you, and Jughead smiled back.

"Do you mind if I shower? I feel kind of gross from earlier."

"Uh yeah, of course." Jughead seemed to study her for a second, Betty shifted under his gaze, "Do you maybe want a tee-shirt?"

Betty looked down at her outfit, it definitely wouldn't be comfortable to sleep in but she didn't want to be anymore of a hassle then she already was.

"Yes please." She decided quietly, and he smiled before passing her, walking to his bedroom.

When he came back, he was carrying a blue blanket and pillow.He passed them to her and she thanked him quietly, placing them on the sofa.

"Here," He said passing the shirt over to her, "Its the most comfortable one I could find."

He held it out, It was grey and had the letter S in the middle.

"Its great, thank you, for everything Jughead." She smiled at him, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as he smiled back,

"Its no problem."

The stood smiling for long enough for it to weird as Betty interrupted the silence,

"I'm going to shower now,"

Jughead moved a side and let her past.

Once he heard the bathroom door closed, he headed over to the kitchen to make himself food. He made a sandwich, and sat on the couch, flicking through channels as he ate it, making a mental note to offer food to Betty.

Betty eye'd herself in the mirror, she noticed how harsh the bruises on her arm looked in the bright light of the bathroom, contrasting with everything white around her, including her pale skin. She sighed and stepped into the shower, almost screaming when the water that came out was freezing cold, checking the temperature and almost laughing at how low it was, did he really have his showers that cold?

She turned it until steam slowly started to fill the small bathroom, she washed with the body wash and shampoo that were already in the shower. Luckily the shower wash wasn't some super manly smell, it was a apple and cinnamon scented.

After she was finished she stepped out of the shower and dried off. Grudgingly, putting back on the same underwear from earlier and jug heads tee shirt. Wrapping her hair in the towel and folding her clothes neatly in a pile, leaving them under the sink and bruising her teeth, choosing the pink tooth brush from the pack under the sink.

When she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom and anxiously pulled at the hem of the tee-shirt she was wearing. It fell to about mid thigh and wasn't much shorter than the skirt she was previously wearing, but it still felt different.

As she walked into the living room, Jughead was placing what looked like what and painkillers on the coffee table next to the couch.

"Hey," She said quietly, as she entered the living room. His eyes shot round and he tired his best not to look creepy as he admired the way she looked in his tee-shirt, and free from any make up.

"Hey," He responded, "You hungry?" 

Betty shook her head, "Just tired"

Jughead nodded, "I left you some aspirin and some water." he said, gesturing to the table.

"Thank you," She said, over and sat on the edge of the sofa, taking the two pills from the tray, swallowing them easily with water.

"Well," Jughead said as he put his hands in his pockets, "I'm going to leave you too sleep."

Betty smiled, "Thank you again, Jughead, for everything."

"Don't mention it," He answered, "Goodnight, Betts."

"Goodnight, Jug."

 

The next morning, Betty woke up feeling heavy. She sat up and rubbed her eyes and she almost forgot where she was. On the coffee table sat a fresh glass of water and two more tablets. Silently thanking Jughead in her head, she took them. The faint sound of the shower that betty could hear in the background shut off, and about 5 minuets later the door creaked open.

"Hey you," Jughead said as he walked towards the sofa. His hair was still damp a top of his head, he had his black jeans on and was still shirtless.

"Morning," Betty said, her mouth suddenly feeling dryer than it had before.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, dropping down onto the sofa next to Betty's feet.

"mmm," Betty groaned as she sat up properly, "Everything hurts."

Jughead looked at her sympathetically, "That's probably a result of the panic attack."

Betty nodded in agreement, "And the alcohol." She added,

"Yeah, that probably didn't help," Jughead laughed, "Did you get the painkillers?"

"I did, thank you."

Jughead smiled, and placed his hand on her leg for a second before standing.

"You hungry?"

Betty almost gagged, food was the last thing on her mind right now.

"No, but thank you."

"Alright," He said heading over to his fridge.

Betty fidgeted with the blanket, not knowing what to do next. Saving her from having to make that decision, her phone rang from the other side of the room.

Jughead moved picked up his sandwich and walk-jogged over to where betty's jacket was and picked her phone from her pocket, pacing it to her, making a point of not looking at the screen.

"Thanks," she mumbled, and answered the phone,

Jughead motioned over to his bedroom as if to say, 'ill give you privacy', Betty nodded a thank you before addressing the person on the phone.

"Hey, Adam."

Jughead flinched at the name, is he knew anything, he knew that this conversation wasn't going to end well.

The second Betty spoke, Adam was yelling.

"Betty, where the fuck are you?"

"I'm at a friends? You told me not to come home."

"You were supposed to come home, Betty. You knew that. Why are you being such a fucking idiot?"

Betty felt the all to familiar pain in her chest as he spat insults over the phone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you mad."

"Yeah, well you've fucking done it now."

"Adam seriously, I thought you meant I wasn't to come home."

"Where are you?"

Betty glanced towards Jughead's room and hesitated lying. After everything Jughead had done for her last night, he really didn't need her dragging him into her relationship drama.

"At a friends house."

"Which fucking friend, Betty?"

Betty swallowed before talking again, "You don't know him."

"Him? You're such a fucking slut Betty Cooper." 

"No, its not-" Her eyes began to sting from the tears.

"We have one fucking fight and you're away fucking some other guy? You're disgusting."

"Adam, I'm sorry." Betty didn't know why she was apologising, they hadn't done anything, she hadn't cheated.

"Come home, right now. I'm not doing this over the phone."

The line went dead and Betty thought with everything in her to not start crying again. She stood from the couch and made her way to the bathroom. Quickly flinging on her clothes from the day before, and brushing her teeth.

As she made her way out the bathroom, Jughead stood in the living room, staring at the bathroom door.

"Betty, I-"

"No, please don't. Thank you for everything but this was a mistake. I need to leave, I'm sorry."

"Betty please just talk-" 

But Betty had already rushed out the door, opting to take the stairs instead of the lift and ordering an uber on the way down.

She stood outside Jughead's apartment building, biting her nails and tapping her foot, no sight of the black car that was supposed to be picking her up.

"Betty?"

Betty turned around to see Jughead, standing a few feet away from her, "what's wrong?"

The car pulled up just after Jughead had asked the question, Betty didn't hesitate on getting in. 

It drove away seconds later and Jughead kicked the wall on the way back up to his apartment building.

 

The entire car ride home, Betty spent thinking of ways to try and make Adam less mad. She hadn't really done anything wrong, had she? Betty couldn't tell he difference between right and wrong at this point.

The second she stepped out the uber, she regretted leaving Jughead's. 

Cautiously, she opened the door, "Adam?"

No reply.

"Adam?" She tried again, but still no answer.

She began to think he wasnt home until she heard a loud thud noice come from the bathroom.

Slowly, she mad her way there, every step she took, she prepared herself for the worst.

What she didn't prepare herself for was too see all of her make up, smashed or ruined in the sink.

"You." She moved her eyes from the sink to see adam standing beside the bathtub.

"Adam, what are you doing?"

Adam laughed, it was dry, not a good sound at all.

"I though I'd teach you a lesson for that little stunt you pulled last night."

"Seriously, Adam this was like 300$ worth of make up?"

"Tough luck babe, " He spat, shoving past her.

Betty tried to take a deep breath, as she followed him out of the bathroom.

"So did you have sex with him?"

"What? Of course I didn't?"

"Yore such a fucking liar!" He shouted as he slammed his hand against the wall beside him. "You fucking reek of sex."

Betty filched, "Adam, I swear nothing happened."

"Bullshit." He shouted and Betty didn't know how to reply, she just stood in silence trying her hardest to recognise the man in front of her, but failing completely

"Fucking say something." He shouted, running his hand through his hair.

"Adam," Betty began, Very hesitantly reaching for his hand, "I would never do that to you."

He said nothing, breathing heavy as he stared down at betty's face,

"I love you." She tired quietly.

The next couple of seconds went into slow motion, as his hand slipped from hers and connected to her eye. The sheer force of it sending her to the ground.

Betty lay in shock, clutching her eye. 

Betty waited on anything. An apology, more insults, anything. But instead she heard the door open and slum shut again.

He had left.

Slowly, Betty stood up and pulled her hand away from her eye. It was throbbing. Betty made her way through to her bathroom where she faced with the mess he had made of her make up, she shook her head failing to come up with a reason to defend him this time, unable to think of why it had went as far as it did.

She looked up into the mirror, her eye was swelling shut and there was blood trickling down her chin, Betty hadn't even realised that she had hurt her lip. Betty stared at herself in the mirror, for what felt like the first time in years. She looked different, almost hollow.

Betty forced her eyes away from the mirror, as she walked towards the bedroom. She picked out clothes from her wardrobe, leggings and a jumper. She grabbed an old ball cap that was at the back of the wardrobe and pulled it over her face as much as she could, all the while tears were streaming down her cheeks. She picked up the first pair of sneakers she could and put them on. She walked out the door.

Betty didn't even really know where she was going but someone she found herself on her way to the coffee shop that she had been to just two days prier. When she reached the door, she didn't even have to go inside, the boy she was looking for was standing outside with a cigarette hanging lose from his fingers. 

She made her way over and stopped awkwardly beside him, she kept her eyes glued to her shoes the entire time.

"Betty? Is everything okay?" 

Betty shook her head, "I think I need your help jug?" 

"Betty, look at me?" His voice was soft but held some sternness, slowly she did as he asked.

Jughead stared as Betty tried her hardest to stop the tears that she had barely even realised were there anymore.

"Betty..."

"I know..." Betty answered and looked back towards the ground..

"Wait here?"

Betty sniffed and nodded as the brunette made his way into the coffee shop. He returned a few moments later without his apron.

"Come back to mine? It'll be more private there, we can talk." He offered, and Betty nodded.

She waited in silence beside him as he ordered an uber, still crying as Jughead tucked his phone away and sighed.

She hated that she had come to Jughead again. As if she hadn't burdened him with her problems enough.

"Betts?" Betty turned to look at Jughead who was looking down at her with soft eyes as she cried.

"I'm okay." Betty tried but Jughead shook his head and carefully reached forward to take her hand.

"It's okay if you're not, Betty. You don't always have to be okay."

Betty chocked a sob as she nodded, unable to say anything.

Jughead ran his thumb over Bettys knuckles, before carefully pulling her in for a hug.

Betty put hid her face into his chest and lost it, sobbing into his tee-shirt as Jughead rubbed her back in attempt to comfort her, resting his head on top of hers.

As the uber pulled up, Betty breathed a thank you into Jughead's chest and pulled away.

Jughead opened the door of the car for her as she got in, he climbed in after her.

Once they were back at Jughead's, they slipped their shoes off and sat on the couch.

"Make your self comfy," Jughead said, gesturing to the pillow and blanket that were still there from this morning, "I'll be back in a second."

And with that he slipped away into the kitchen, Betty could hear the clinking of what she assumed was ice.

When he came back through, he was carrying a first aid kit and -as betty guessed- ice wrapped in a towel.

"Sit back?" Jughead asked, and Betty shifted backwards.

Jughead bulled open the first aid kit, pulling out antiseptic wipes.

"Here, hold this against your eye," He said, placing the ice over and Betty did. It stung and she flinched as it touched it.

"How bad does it hurt?" 

Betty shrugged, "It's okay," Jughead nodded,

"Try to keep the ice on it." Jughead tore open the small wipes and looked at betty for a second.

"Can I?" He asked, gently, and Betty nodded.

Slowly, he placed his hands under Bettys chin and brought the wipe up to her lip, brushing the dry blood away from her mouth.

Betty pulled back the second the wipe touched the cut, the alcohol making it sting more than it had before,

"It needs to be cleaned, Betts,"

Hesitantly, Betty leaned forward again, letting Jughead place his hand back under her chin, this time he was a lot more careful when touching it. Using feather light strokes as Betty squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on keeping the ice on her eye.

"There, all done," He mummed, pulling his hand away. 

Jughead picked up the wipes and walked over to the trash can, before stopping in front of the fridge, "Have you eaten today?" 

Betty thought for a moment, the last meal she had was two days ago and it scared her that she hadn't even remotely felt hungry.

"I've not been hungry." She replied shortly, and he sighed before dropping onto the couch where she sat.

"What your favourite food?"

"Pizza," She replied, without missing a beat, "Peperoni pizza."

Jughead smiled, "Really? I had you pegged as more of a kale salad type of girl."

Betty snorted, "No one actually enjoys eating kale, Jug."

"My favourite food is burgers, Pop's burger's specifically."

"Pop's?" Betty asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"A diner back home," Jug explained, "He makes the best burgers and milkshakes in the world, I swear."

Betty nodded, making a mental note to ask Jughead about where 'home' was if it isn't in New York.

"So where do you normally get your pizza from?" 

"A small place called 'Johnny's pizza's'" Betty sighed, "Its been so long since I've had it, don't even know if they're still there."

Jughead stood up and made his way across the room to where his laptop sat, before making his way back over to the couch sitting even closer to betty than he was before.

"Johnny's Pizza's," he said out loud as he typed, "they look pretty open to me.

Betty smiled at the memory of her and her sister enjoying slice after slice of pizza there as a kid, that was before Alice, Bettys mom, had started suggesting that she watch her weight and that she limit her servings.

"Yeah that's them," Betty thought out loud as Jughead reached into his pocket dialling the number on the screen.

"Jug?" Betty pondered, but he held his hand up as someone on the other end answered the phone,

"Hello I'd like to order a pizza?" Jughead ordered, whilst staring at Betty with this smug grin on his face and Betty couldn't help but roll her eyes playfully at him.

"Thank you so much," Jug finished as he hung up the phone and, "I hope you're hungry," Jughead laughed lightly,

Betty stained at the boy in of her with pure wonder,

"Like what you see?" Jughead winked playfully, betty blushed but didn't look away,

"Why are you helping me?" She queried, "You didn't have to do any of this and yet you still did. I don't understand why?"

Jughead shifted so he could properly her properly before taking a deep breath, "From the minute I saw you in the coffee shop, you intrigued me," He explained carefully, "and then at the club, when I saw you again, I knew that I just had to talk to you, I had to get to know you."

Betty shifted, uncomfortably at the memories of both of the painfully long days. But Jughead didn't stop talking,

"I didn't like the person you were with, there was something about him that put me off," Jughead's eyebrows furrowed as he kept talking, "I don't know, maybe its the way he ordered for you like its still the 1950's or maybe its the way he looked at you after you had dropped your drink, but he tickled me the wrong way."

Betty wanted to defend Adam, and she almost did until she remembered why they were having this conversation, the ice slowly dripping through the towel as it melted in her hand.

"So you wanted to protect me?" Betty asked, eyes glued to the towel in her hands.

"Something like that," He said softly, as he took the damp cloth from Betty's hands -ignoring the tingle that remained after their fingers brushed- and placed it in the empty sink.

Betty didn't know how to respond as she watched him walk towards the kitchen, she felt her eyes begin to water as she thought about the last few days, it wasn't even that she was sad, it more that she was thankful that Jughead had came along.

"Hey Betts," He said gently as he came to sit beside her on the couch, taking her hands in his, "Its okay, you're safe here."

And Betty knew he meant it, she felt safe here with him. Safer than she had felt in the past two years in her own home, and it was scary to think that maybe she was just now realising what was happening.

More strangled sobs came out and Jughead didn't try to calm her, instead he pulled her into his chest and rubbed her back gently as she cried. Only occasionally whispering things like, 'its okay' and 'cry as much as you need'

It was another five minutes before betty felt her breathing even out but she didn't pull away, instead she felt a last few tears fall as she shifted her head so that it was laying in a more comfortable position than before, and felt her eye lids flutter shut and with the calming feeling of Jughead's breathing it wasn't long before she was fighting to stay awake. 

She had just given in as a loud knock echoed around the apartment, and she hesitantly pulled away from his chest.

"Oh my gosh, you shirt," She said quietly as she eyed the tear and snot stains marking jugs shirt, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it," He carefully reached a hand out and used the pad of his thumb to wipe a stray tear away from Betty's non bruised eyes, before heading to the door.

When he came back, he was carrying a pizza box and a bottle of coke tucked under his arm.

"Here let me help," Betty said, getting to her feet but swaying back slightly as the room around her span.

"Wow," Jughead said, placing everything on the pizza table the best he could before heading over to where Betty stood, "You okay?"

Betty nodded, but sat back down onto the sofa, "Just hungry," 

Her stomach confirmed this as it let out the loudest rubble as she caught a sent of the pizza.

They chuckled together as Jughead passed her the remote, "Pick a movie," he said before disappearing and reappearing with two glasses.

Betty chose finding dory, a childish movie but one of her favourites. Jughead shifted the coffee table so that the pizza was directly in front of the sofa where they both sat so that they could easily eat the pizza.

As the movie started, Betty picked up the first slice of Pizza, eyeing it carefully. Two days ago she would have scolded herself for even thinking about eating something so full of calories. 

'I like it when I can feel your hip bones, Betty. It makes you look like a doll.'

Betty inwardly cringed at the memory of Adam, he had said it the second time they had had sex, because the first he complained that her thighs were 'to big' and 'off putting' so she started dieting and kept it up to please Adam.

"Betts?" Betty looked over to where Jughead was looking at her softly and it both calmed her and made her more anxious. Would Jughead prefer she looked like a doll?

Jughead placed his -third- slice of pizza down and turned his full attention to the distrest blonde who sat trembling beside him, "What are you thinking about?"

Betty took a minute to reply, but eventually she did.

"He nicknamed me doll," She said shortly, giving no context, "He said I reminded him of a porcelain doll and that he liked it better when he could feel my bones."

Jughead wanted to punch something. He wanted to punch Adam for everything that man had ever done to make Betty feel the way she did right now, but his priority for now, was helping Betty so he took deep breath and collected his thoughts.

"Betts," He started softly, "What Adam wants really isn't best for you, and I know its hard to believe after so long of believing that's what he wanted. So I understand how hard it must be to even look at the pizza slice, but I promise that enjoying some pizza will not destroy you."

Betty looked away from the pizza for the first time during the whole conversation, her eyes were tear brimmed again and she look more worried than she had the entire time she was here.

"You'll still like me if you cant see my hipbones?" her voice was strained and Jughead leaned across the table to pick up her untouched cup of cola and holding it out for her.

"Betty," He said sadly, "I promise that I'll still be here after you've ate that slice of pizza. I don't care if I can see your hipbones, hell I'd still like you if you didn't have hipbones." He said exaggerated and Betty found it in her to smile.

"I can't hold the glass," She murmured, and Jughead looked down to where her sore hand lay lifeless in her lap and where her decent one held her pizza.

"Here, just like tip your head back," He tried and Betty did. Jughead brought the glass up to betty's mouth, and it worked at first, that was until, betty realised there was no way for her to tell him to stop, so she let out a half scream as the cola poured over the sides of her face.

"Shit," Jughead laughed as he placed the glass down, and as soon as betty had fished the giant mouth full of cola, she found herself laughing too. 

Once they had stopped laughing, betty was left sticky and wet in the worst way possible. Without thinking Jughead pulled the -snot and tear stained- shirt he was wearing over his head and passed it to her.

"Use this," And Betty tried her hardest not to stare at the way Jughead's muscles tensed as the cold air hit them. And she blushed as she noticed the small snake tattoo that was placed low on his stomach that leads into his pants.

"Thanks," Betty uttered, hoping that the blush on her face wasn't obvious, as she wiped the side of her face with the clean parts of Jughead's tee-shirt.

Once she was done, Jughead tossed the tee-shirt in the general direction of the kitchen and picked up his slice of pizza. Betty watched him take a bite before eyeing her own, that was growing cold in her hands. Hesitantly, she rose the slice to her mouth and took a small bite, as soon as she did she had the urge to cry again. Instead though she let out a loud, moan type sound which didn't go unnoticed by Jughead as he look over and giggled. 

"Good, right?" He asked, as Betty nodded, talking another small bite.

She ate the first slice of pizza quicker than she could remember eating anything else, and didn't even think as she went to reach for a second.

Jughead watched her carefully from the side, making sure that she couldn't tell he was staring. Her eyes were glued to the movie that was nearing its end as she finished her second slice of pizza, reaching forward to grab her cola as she sipped at it.

"Jug?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you pass me the blanket? Its kind of cold."

Jughead reached behind him and passed betty the blue blanket she had slept with the night before.

"Thank you," She said quietly, unfolding the blanket and placing it over her lap.

Jughead realised that it really was getting cold and was stuck between shifting closer to Betty or just waiting it out.

He didn't have to decided however, as betty shifter closer to him, placing the blanket over both of them.

"You must be colder than I am," She said quietly and Jughead smiled down at her and she managed a small smile back.

"Do you want the last slice?"

Betty looked towards the pizza box, where one slice was left, and shook her head.

"You can have it, I'm full." It wasn't a lie, she did feel really full.

"How about we split it?" Jughead suggested, and Betty wanted to say no but the way Jughead looked down at her, almost pleading with his eyes, she couldn't.

"Okay," She answered shortly, "but I cant promise I'll eat it."

"That's absolutely fine," He said, a happy lilt in his voice, as he reached forward to pick up the slice. 

Betty expected him to tear it in half, instead though he held it up to Betty's lips and betty pulled back laughing. Jughead however, just cocked an eyebrow and watched her. After she noticed that he was completely serious about this, she leaned forward again taking a bite of the end of the pizza, all whilst looking at him with a -very- confused look on her face.

After she had bit it, Jughead pulled it up to his own mouth, biting another piece off and smirking down at Betty. He held the pizza back down towards Betty's mouth and this time Betty shook her head.

Jughead just nodded and finished the pizza off.

Betty shifted where she was sitting, the leggings she had chosen were suddenly feeling a lot more uncomfortable. She shifted around a few more times before Jughead noticed.

"You okay?" He asked and Betty smiled,

"Yeah, I just should have chosen comfier clothes."

Jughead stood from his seat, "just a second,"

He disappeared into his bedroom and came out two minutes later with flannel pyjama pants on -but remained shirtless- and he held a shirt in his arms. Jughead tossed the shirt to betty.

"Do remember where the bathroom is?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I think so," Betty said as she stood from the spot on the couch, "Thank you."

"I'll be here when you're finished,"

Betty closed the bathroom door quietly and turned to look in the bathroom mirror.

Her eye was a lot more open than it was earlier but the bruising around it was a deep purpley- blue and her lip was partly swollen from the cut. Sighing, Betty pulled her jumper over her head and had to force her eyes away from her stomach in the mirror, it was bloated from the pizza and betty tried to remind herself that she hadn't eaten anything for two days and that it was okay, but a louder part of her was screaming that the pizza and cola would go straight to her hips.

Betty slid her hand down her stomach, feeling her ribs bump under her touch, she slid her hand down until she reached her hips, when she felt the sharpness of the bone under her finger she sighed with relief but simultaneously cringed with guilt. She had promised herself that she wouldn't let it get this far.

Slowly, she slid of her leggings and pulled Jughead's tee-shirt over her head, this one was shorter than the one from last night, only reaching the top of her thighs, barely covering her ass.

She played no attention to it though as she brushed her teeth and went to the bathroom before joining Jug in the living room again. He was half laying, half sitting on one side of the couch, his head against the arm rest with the blanket draped over his legs.

As quietly as she could Betty made her way back into the living room, and under the covers. Jughead looked up just as she got to the couch and pretended not to notice just how good betty's clothes looked on her and moved his eyes back to the second movie of the night.

"Rebel without a cause," Betty acknowledged quietly, "I love this one."

Jughead peaked his head from where he was laying and shot Betty a soft smile, "You've seen it?"

"Yeah," Betty replied, "Only like 20 times."

Jughead laughed a little and passed a pillow over to betty, who took it gratefully and placed it behind her head.

It wasn't long into the movie before Betty was starting to drift of. She listened to the movie as she let her eyes shut. She was almost asleep when she felt the couch under her feet rise, and she opened her eyes.

"Jug?" She grumbled, not quite awake.

"Hey, you feel asleep. I didn't want to wake you," He explained, "I was just going to my bedroom."

"Stay." She mumbled, fighting to keep her eyes open as she spoke.

"Are you sure?" He checked, and Betty nodded.

"Please." She answered groggily and Jughead nodded, 

"Of course." He said slipping back into the position he was before, except this time laying down completely, letting his legs lay beside Betty's, touching them ever so slightly.

"Good night, Betts."

"Good night, Juggie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is lowkey boring but thank you for reading!
> 
> Feedback is appreciated


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for being patient and for the comments! it wont let me reply but I seriously appreciate all of them <3

 

Betty was the first to wake up the next morning, thanks to the vomit that was threating to spill from her throat. Warily untangling her legs from Jughead's, she rushed to the bathroom and dropped down to her knees in front of the toilet, letting the contents of her stomach empty.

Betty didn't even notice until Jughead was there until she felt him pull her hair away from her face. Tears streamed down her face as she sat back on her knees, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Its probably just the pizza from last night," Jughead said, his voice was gravely and rough, he had obviously just woken up.

Betty nodded in agreement as she attempted to stand, her legs were shaky ben

eath her, causing her to trip and fall directly into Jughead, who luckily was awake enough to catch her. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, helping betty stand up but not removing his hand from her arm until he was sure she was steady.

Betty nodded again, "Sorry if I woke you."

"That's okay," Jughead said softly, "I'm working in a couple hours anyway."

Right, work. That was the thing Betty hadn't done in a while.

"I should probably head home anyway," Betty added softly, as she looked at the ground, she didn't even really want to call it home anymore.

"Betty, you cant go back there." Jugheads tone was serious and Betty wanted to listen to him.

"I have to Jug," she sighed, "I've got work to do and I need to talk to Adam."

"I'm sorry Betty, but after what he did, I cant let you go back there." Betty shook her head, passing round the side of Jughead into the living room,

"I need to Jughead, I don't have a choice."

"Betty..."

"Jug, please just let me go. I have to face him at some point."

Jughead let out a defeated sigh as he stared at the girl in front of him. He would never forgive himself if Betty got hurt again.

"Fine," Jughead answered shortly, "But I'll give you my number. Use it, please."

"Okay," Betty answered softly, as she went into the bathroom to get dressed.

Jughead sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he waited on the couch for Betty to come out of the bathroom.

After Betty came out the shower Jughead handed her a piece of paper with his number on it and he made her promise to call if she needed him.

"I promise, thank you." Jughead nodded, leaving betty in the living whilst he showered. Betty didn't wait until Jughead was out to leave, she snuck out whilst he was in the shower, leaving a note that said,

**'thank you for everything, Jughead xx'**

Jughead folded the note and put it in his pocket as he left for work. The first thing Betty noticed as the uber pulled up outside her house was the strange car parked in the drive way, it looked expensive and defiantly wasn't Adams.

She tried the door, weirdly, it was locked. She slid the welcome mat away from in front of the door and picked up the spare key.

After she unlocked the door, the first thing she heard was the echo of a very distinct sound and she prayed silently that it was anything apart from what she thought it was.

"Adam?" Betty called as she climbed the stairs, the sound getting louder and louder as she went.

As she got closer she could see that the bedroom door was open, and she wanted to throw up again after she saw what was happening.

Of course. It was Adam and some red headed girl she had never seen before in her life all over each other.

Betty didn't know what to do, she wanted to yell at him but her words sat stuck in her throat, instead she just watched as tears began to run down her face, he didn't even notice she was there until a strangled sob fell from her lips. Both heads snapped round to her direction as she stood staring at the scene in front of her.

"Betty..." He started as betty turned and raced down the stairs, it was only a couple of seconds later Adam was rushing after her.

"Betty listen," he tried again but Betty cut him off,

"Why?" betty sneered, staring him in the face watching the scowl become more and more prominent on his face.

"Because you didn't want to have sex!" he barked and Betty nearly laughed.

"It didn't matter what I wanted!" She yelled, "We always did it anyway."

Adam scoffed, "You're making yourself out o be some sort of victim, you were always more than willing." "

You know for a fact that's not true!" She spat, "But it didn't matter to you, did it?"

"You're such a fucking baby, Betty! I had sex with one other girl and you're losing your shit!"

"Do you realise how ridiculous that sounds, Adam?" Betty fumed

"You weren't coming home at nights!" He accused and Betty took a step close.

"Because you were hurting me." The look on his face told Betty that he was going to do it again, but they were interrupted by a female voice at the kitchen door,

"Wait, you did that to her?" The girl from earlier was staring at the two of them with confusion written all over her face.

"No-"

"Yeah he did," Betty cut in, "And it isn't the first time he's hurt me."

"Betty." He warned and Betty scoffed,

"What? do you want me to tell her I fell?" Betty stepped closer again, "I'm done, Adam. I cant do this anymore."

Adam took a deep breath before shoving betty back by her shoulders, causing her to stumble back into the counter behind.

"Shit!" The red head exclaimed as she rushed to Betty's side.

"Whatever," Adam spat, slipping his shoes on. "But you're nothing without me, doll." And with that he left, slamming the door as he went.

"Are you okay?" The red head asked as betty got to her feet,

"I'm fine." Betty answered coldly, as she turned away from redhead.

"I didn't know he had a girlfriend." Betty turned back around slowly,

"You didn't?" The taller of the two shook her head,

"When I asked about all of you stuff lying around, he told me that you guys had broken up recently." Betty rolled her eyes, to angry to even cry at this point.

"I'm Cheryl, by the way." She offered her hand and Betty hastily shook it,

"Betty."

Cheryl smiled sadly, "How long had it been like that?" She asked gesturing to the door where Adam had just been.

"I don't know." Betty answered honestly, trying to think of when it had actually become like that.

"You should go to the police."

"I know," Betty replied quickly, "Just not yet."

Cheryl nodded, standing awkwardly as if she waiting for something.

"You can go," Betty tried to smile, "I'll be fine."

Cheryl shook her head, puling out a kitchen chair and sitting, "I don't mind staying."

Betty shook her head, "I appreciate it Cheryl but I've got stuff to do."

Cheryl seemed to think for a minute before standing, "Fair enough, but first, give me your number." Cheryl pulled out her phone -that had a phone case the same shade of red as the dress she worse and the remainder of her lipstick- and Betty read out her number.

"You're brave Betty, I'll text you." And with that, Cheryl left.

 

Jughead did nothing but pace all day at work, accidently mixing up two customers orders and nearly spilling boiling water all over him self.

"Okay, what is up with you today?" Veronica, Jughead's friend had been putting up with his moodier than normal mood all day and it was starting too really piss her off.

"Nothing," Jughead grumbled as he managed to make placing cookies into a display tray look like rocket science.

"Jughead I know you, somethings wrong." Jughead ignored her and proceeded to put to the cookies into the -wrong- tray.

"Here let me do it," Veronica said as she too them off Jughead, "Go for your break."

He didn't need to be told twice as he unwrapped his apron and walked through to the back. He checked his phone for the 120th time that day, and angrily shoved it back into his pocket when he saw there were no texts from Betty.

"Does this have something to do with the girl that showed up here yesterday?"

"Veronica-"

"Because I don't think I've ever seen you look so worried in my life, and you've got the same look on your face right now."

Jughead slumped down on the chair that was behind him and put his head in his hands.

"I met a girl here a couple of days ago, and some shit happened, now I'm really worried about her."

"A couple of days ago? You're falling quick jones."

Jughead rolled his eyes, "It not like that, she's with someone who's dangerous and I really don't want her to get hurt."

Veronica sat down next to him and put her hand on his arm, "Why don't you phone the cops?"

Jughead chewed on his lip, "I can't Ronnie, I don't even know her last name, or his, or where they live."

As soon as his phone rang once, Jughead was on his feet.

"Betty?" He asked, as he answered the call and Veronica listened in,

"Hey Jughead-"

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know," She answered truthfully,

"what time do you get off of work?"

Jughead checked his watch, it was 3:15. "Five, but I can come right now if you-"

"No no, its okay," Betty quickly ushered, "I was just wondering if I could see you afterwards."

Jughead sighed with relief, she didn't sound upset.

"Yeah, of course. Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"You have a car?" Betty asked, a smile playing at her lips

"Sort of," He answered, smiling too, "Its not really a car."

"Yeah, I'd love that." Betty answered, telling him her address. "See you soon, Jug."

"See you, Betts." and with that they ended the call.

"Betts?" Veronica mocked, "So much for only knowing her for a couple of days, you guys have nicknames already."

Jughead rolled his eyes and used the remainder of his break to smoke.

 

Betty had two hours before Jughead was coming to get her and she used that time to gather some essential things in a bag, her laptop, some clean clothes, some of the money she had stashed away etc.

It wasn't until she was sitting, just watching the clock as the seconds ticked past that she remembered the smashed ornament from their fight from a couple days ago. She spent the next 45 minutes struggling to get the pieces to stick together, the glue she was using was less than ideal.

Sighing she looked at the clock again, she still had 25 minuets before Jughead finished work and she was completely bored. She left the broken statue on the table and stood from her seat, deciding to spend the next 25 minutes being at least semi productive.

Betty opened her laptop and started typing. She had intended for the piece to be an article she could use for work, but the more she wrote the more it began to sound like the beginning of a story, a short novel.

Betty got so engrossed in typing that she barely even noticed as the next half hour passed by, only realising when there was a light knocking on the door.

She placed her laptop beside her, and got up to answer the door. What she didn't expect to see when she answered the door, was Jughead holding a motorcycle helmet in his hands with a goofy smile on his face.

"That's your car?" Betty asked in disbelief, and Jughead snickered.

"I told you," He said, gesturing back to the bike, "Its only kind of a car."

Betty laughed, "Uh, come in." She stepped back as Jughead stepped in and closed the door behind him.

"So this is the home of Miss Betty..."

"Cooper," Betty finished, "and not for long."

Jughead turned back to face her puzzled, and she gave him a small smile. "I think I ended things today, like officially ended it."

"Betty," Jughead carefully opened his arms to hug Betty, "That's great."

Betty hugged back and smiled into his chest,

"Where will you be staying?" Jughead asked as they pulled apart and Betty shrugged,

"Anywhere but here. I'll probably sleep at a few hotels, you know like they do in the movies?" Betty let out a sad laugh, "At least until I can find a place."

"Stay with me."

"Jughead," Betty smiled, I appreciate the offer but you've already done so much for me, I couldn't ask for anything else."

"You're not asking, I'm offering." He shrugged, "You could stay with me until you find a place to stay."

Betty chewed on her lip as she considered it. As much as she wanted to, she had already been enough of a burden to him. He was probably only offering to be nice, he didn't actually want her to stay with her. Betty felt her fists curl up as her thoughts got louder,

"And besides," Jughead added quickly, "I like having you around, I enjoy your company."

Betty's fists loosened slightly, "Are you sure?"

Jughead smiled, "Completely."

Betty smiled back, "Then that would be great." It was quiet for a moment before Jughead finally broke the silence.

"So its settled," he exclaimed, "Do you have anything you want to bring?"

Betty headed over to the kitchen where her bag sat along with the smashed ornament,

"Just this," She said picking up the duffle back, and said a silent goodbye to the statue she had loved since she was a kid.

"What about that?" Jughead wondered, picking up the broken pieces of glass.

Betty sighed sadly, "I think its beyond repair."

"You know," Jughead said, placing the broken pieces back together, "I could probably fix this."

"Really?" Betty felt stupid for being so attached to a stupid butterfly ornament that she had had since she was a kid, but she couldn't let it go.

"Yeah, easy." They left the house 10 minuets later, after deciding that Betty should uber there. It was safer than trying to balance two people and a bag on Jughead's bike.

"The cars here," She said as she picked up her back, "See you soon?"

"See you soon," Jughead laughed as he pulled the helmet over his head and set of down the road.

 

Despite seeing him 10 minutes ago, Betty still knocked on the door when she arrived.

"You don't have to do that anymore,"

Jughead said as he shut the door behind Betty, "You live here now."

Betty looked around lost as she held her bag, "Here, I can take that."

Jughead took her bag and headed somewhere down the hall. Betty sat on the couch as she waited from him to come back.

"So," Jughead said as he came back through and sat down beside betty, "How are you feeling?"

Betty sighed, "I don't know. Relieved? Exhausted?"

Jughead nodded and took a minute to study the girl in front of him, "You're so strong, you know that?" Betty scoffed and looked away, gently he placed his hand of her shoulder, "Hey, I mean it. You're so unbelievably strong."

Betty looked at him, tears threating to fall, "Then why do I feel so weak? All the time."

Jughead sighed, and shuffled closer, moving his hand from her shoulder and taking her hands instead, "You've been through so much Betty, and I've only seen a glimpse of what your life is like, if it was like that before I met you, then its a wonder that you're still standing."

Betty sniffed as Jughead continued talking, "I know we haven't spoke about anything yet, but I want you to know that'll I'll be here. Through it all."

Betty sniffed again, trying her best to keep her tears at bay but failing completely as she looked up to see Jughead looking over at her with a look she had never seen before. "I don't even know when this became my life," She said quietly, "If you told me at 18 that I was going to be sat crying over a boy, I would have laughed in your face."

"When did you're life...become like this?" Jughead asked carefully,

"I dont' know, maybe when I met Adam."

"When was that?"

"About 2 years ago," She took a shaky breath, "But even then, he used to be so sweet."

"When was the first time he wasn't sweet?" Jughead felt like a therapist, like he was prying on Betty's life but as he watched her fall apart in front of him, he just couldn't bite his tongue any longer.

"Adam has anger issues," Betty was letting the tears fall freely from her eyes now, "I learned this the first time we fought."

Jughead squeezed her hands lightly, encouraging her to continue.

"I was out with my friend, Kevin." Betty said quietly, and Jughead didn't miss the way her voice shook as she said the name, "Adam was against the idea of me going out completely but I managed to convince him by saying that I'd be back by 11pm. When 11 rolled around me and Kevin were far too drunk and his place was closer than mine so we crashed there. I called Adam to tell him and he seemed fine over the phone, but the second I stepped through the door the next day. Adam started screaming and yelling before I could even get a word out. He was carrying around a beer bottle and the second I raised my voice a fraction louder than a whisper, he flung the beer bottle. It hit the wall behind me, but the shards hit my legs."

Betty was staring down at her knees and Jughead didn't know what to say.

"He didn't even apologize, just walked away. After I cleaned myself up, I found the courage to go into the bedroom. He apologized and the he...we...had sex."

There was something about the way she said it that made Jughead's heart drop, she sounded unsure.

"Betty," He started quietly, "Did you...want to have sex?" Betty sobbed and Jughead already knew the answer,

"I don't know, Jug."

And with that, Jughead pulled her into his chest and just hugged her. "Shhh, its okay." He whispered, "I'm here."

But it wasn't okay. It was really far from it. Adam was as good as dead the second the second the words left Betty's lips. Jughead was going to kill him. Betty's sobbed pulled Jughead from his thoughts as he took a deep breathe to calm himself down.

"I think," Betty said quietly, "I want to go to the police."

Jughead pulled away, looking down at her face. "Right now?"

She looked up at him, "If I don't go now, I don't think I will."

"Okay," Jughead answered simply, squeezing her hands, "Lets go."

They opted on taking a taxi, Jughead promising Betty that he'll take her out on the bike soon.

The entire drive to the police station, Betty's gazed was glued out the window as she focused on not digging her nails into her hand and instead watching the city pass.

Once they pulled up, Jughead paid the driver and they headed towards the door.

Betty walked with such assurance through the doors that Jughead was both impressed and wary.

When they reached the front desk, the blonde woman that sat, typing away at her computer, looked up raising an eyebrow at the pair.

"How can I help you?" Betty froze, physically unable to say anything.

Suddenly everything felt to real. She felt herself start to panic under the harsh eyes of the police officer, the confidence from earlier.

Jughead stepped forward, slipping his hand into Betty's and speaking for her, "We're here to report a domestic abuse case."

The next few hours were hectic to say the least. Immediately, they were pulled away and placed into separate rooms.

Betty had been sitting in the uncomfortable chair with a different female officer, -officer Smith maybe?- firing questions at her.

"Where were you when the first incident took place, Miss Cooper?"

"Our house,"

"And was anybody else there when this happened?" Betty clenched her fists tightly under the table, knowing fine well that she'd have to try and clean them up without Jughead seeing.

In the other room, a male police officer was questioning Jughead although he was the one who had hurt her.

"I just think its suspicious Mr. Jones, you meet Miss Cooper and suddenly she feels the need to report an abuse which she had never mentioned before meeting you?"

Jughead wanted to scream about how stupid he sounded right now, "She didn't understand what was happening."

"Ah," The police officer said, condescendingly, "So you helped Miss Cooper realize that she was getting abused?"

"I was there for Betty, when she realised."

The questions kept coming, both Jughead and Betty physically exhausted.

"So Miss Cooper, what exactly is your relation to Mr jones?"

"Were friends?"

"Just friends?" The officer asked, as if she didn't believe Betty.

"Yes,"

Betty had been on the verge of a panic attack since she had walked into the station, she felt the barrier begin to break as Officer Smith just stared at her now, almost as if she was deciding Betty's entire fate.

"That's all Miss Cooper, we'll keep you posted."

And just like that, the door was opened and Betty walked out. She looked over to the bench that sat at the opposites side of the room, Jughead was perched on the end of it, beanie held in his hand.

"Betts?" He said as soon as he seen her and didn't waste anytime before rushing over to her. She didn't think twice about falling into his arms, the tears finally falling.

"Can we go now?" Betty asked, her voice shaky as she did, "You're both free to leave, we'll call you with updates."

Jughead placed the beanie back on his head, wrapping his arm around Betty's shoulders and leading her out the building.

The air outside was cold and felt refreshing on Betty's flushed cheeks.

"I'll call a cab," Jughead said, dropping his arm from Betty's shoulders, she just nodded.

The cab arrived quickly and they rode home in silence, neither acknowledging it when Jughead slipped his fingers through Bettys.

When they got home, Betty dropped down on the couch. It was late and she was so so tired

"You can take the bed tonight," Jughead stated and Betty was in no position to argue.

"Thanks, Jug."

Jughead smiled, "You hungry?" he asked and Betty shrugged sleepily.

"I'll order in," Jughead said, checking the time, "Chinese okay?"

Betty groaned happily, "Sounds perfect,"

Jughead chuckled, "Okay, you should probably get changed before you pass out."

Grudgingly, Betty stood up and followed Jughead into his bedroom where he had put her things earlier.

"You can change in here, and you know where the shower is if you want it."

Betty nodded and Jughead left her to change. She pull off her tee-shirt and replaced it with a plain baggy white one, paired with some grey pyjama pants.

When she walked back out, Jughead was just getting off the phone. It was then that she noticed how drained he looked, she felt the pang of guilt on her chest. She was the cause of this. Once she had been to the bathroom to wash her hands, she made her way over to the couch and sat down. Jughead dropped down beside her, close enough that their arms touched. Betty passed the shiver than ran through her off as a mix of the cold and he exhaustion.

"How are you feeling?" Betty raked her brain for answer but it hadn't changed much from earlier she didn't really know what she was feeling.

"It doesn't feel real," She answered simply, "This doesn't feel like my life." Jughead nodded but said nothing, "How are you, Jug?"

He turned to her and smiled, it looked sincere but Betty could only focus on the purple bags under his eyes. "I'm glad that you're still here."

Before betty could ask what he meant by that, he was walking towards the kitchen shouting through to her, "Pick a movie, dinner should be here soon."

They watched some comedy that they found on Netflix, whilst they ate. Jughead trying , and failing, not to watch to make sure that Betty was actually eating.

Afterwards, they said their goodnights and Betty left to head through Jughead's room. It felt weird, like she was invading his personal space. But the feeling of laying on an actual bed felt amazing and her eyes grew heavier as she tucked her self into the warm cover.

The blankets smelt vaguely of cinnamon and smoke, along with something else that Betty tried to figure out as she let her eyelids close.

 

_"Where is it?" Betty looked around, she was standing in her bedroom with Adam about a meter away from her shouting about something._

_"Where is it?" He repeated, as he moved closer._

_"Where is what?" Betty asked, her voice was raspy and barely there at all as she took a step away from the man in front of her,_

_"Where is it?" The voice repeated over and over again as Adam got closer and closer._

_"Adam, I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice was quieter again, he back hitting a wall as she tried to step back again._

_"Where is it?" He reached a hand out, wrapping it tightly around her throat, and she tried to scream but this time no sound came out._

_"Where is it Betty?" She tried again, this time it was even worse, not even a whisper left her throat._

_"Betty, where is it?" "Betty, where is it, Betty?" "Betty, Betty where, Betty?"_

 

"Betty, Betty!"

Betty jolted awake, almost knocking into Jughead who was shaking her lightly.

The minute she remembered where she was she started sobbing, she reached a hand up to her throat where she could feel 'Adams' hands still around her neck.

"Jesus, Betty," Jughead said, perching himself on the edge of the bed, "What happened?"

"I..He..It.." Betty desperately tried to explain, but the words all got caught in her throat.

"Shh, its okay. It was just a dream, you're okay."

Betty let herself fall into Jughead's open arms as she felt the tears start to halt.

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, I was writing. I was coming to check on you and I saw you crying."

Betty nodded, thankful that she hadn't woken him at least.

Still, as she looked over at the man who was perched at the end of the bed -his bed- looking at her like she was a lost cause, all she wanted to do was apologize. She wanted to say sorry, grab her things and leave, taking the burden of her fucked up life with her.

Instead though all she says is, "I'm sorry, you can go back to writing,"

Jughead chuckled, "Betty Cooper, if I hear you say you're sorry one more time, I might just scream,"

"Sorry." Betty giggled after she said it, only realising once she already had. Jughead chuckled too along too.

When the laughter stopped, Betty watched Jughead in wonder. He was really handsome, something she hadn't totally noticed until now. The look in his eyes was endearing of sorts, and the way that his black hair was almost always in his face, even if he had tried to hide it under his crown shaped beanie.

However, the small amount of light that was seeping through the slightly opened curtains seemed to be highlighting the purple sitting under his eyes, or the sheer tiredness that seemed to mix in with the -really pretty- blue of his iris.

"Betty?" Jughead was looking at Betty, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk.

"Sorry," She blushed, "What did you say?"

"I was saying you should try to lay down."

"Right," Betty lay back down, pulling the blanket back up so the it covered her shoulders, she stared at the celling as she waited for the sound of Jughead leaving, instead though he asked:

"Do you get nightmares often?"

Betty shifted, "I used to when I was little, but I haven't had one since I was like 10."

"How did you stop them?"

"My mum put mine and my sisters room together," Betty smiled fondly at the memories of staying up way to late, just talking with her sister, "I think it just helped knowing Polly was there."

"Well," Jughead started, uncertain, "If it helps having someone in the room with you...I could stay?"

"Jug-"

"I could sleep on the floor,"

"No Jughead, I wouldn't make you sleep on your own floor,"

"I wouldn't mind,"

Betty considered it, not Jughead sleeping on the floor, but Jughead staying with her. Having someone else in the room with her really did help  calm the anxiety that the doctor said caused the nightmares.

"I mean," Betty swallowed, "I'm sure the beds big enough for both of us?"

"Are you sure?"

Betty nodded and Jughead shifted, the bed beside Betty dipping as Jughead slid in beside her. He pulled the covers over himself, laying on his side.

Betty shifted, trying to create space between her and Jughead, not wanting to be a bed hog, but in the process her hand brushed ever so slightly against his under the covers and before she could pull away, Jughead took hold of her hand.

She looked over, expecting him to already be sleeping, but he was looking down at her, a new softness in his eyes.

"Goodnight, Betts."

"Night, Juggie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter deleted like nine times :)))))
> 
> leave me comments? thank you, lovelies <3


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! 
> 
> !!tw!! dark themes throughout - please be careful!
> 
> enjoy :)

 When Jughead woke the next morning he was alone, Betty's side of the bed was defiantly slept in but was now empty. He listened for any sings of her in the bathroom or the living room but there was no sound. Grudgingly, Jughead sat up and pulled himself out of bed. He reached for his phone and when there was no messages from betty, he started to panic. Of course she was allowed to leave, he wasn't trying to keep her hostage in his tiny one bedroom apartment but the possibility that she might have went back to Adam eats away at him as he heads through to the kitchen. The coffee had already been made and the dishes from the night before had been cleaned. Jughead unlocked his phone and decided to message her:

 

**~~You okay?~~ **

**~~Hey Betts, where'd you go?~~ **

**~~Are you out?~~ **

 

He wasn't sure how to ask her where she was without sounding like an over protective parent, he didn't want to smother her. He just wanted her to be safe. He groaned and ran a hand down his face before typing out another message:

 

**call me?**

 

Just as he hit send, the front door opened and he could hear the rustling of paper bags.

 

"Betty?" Jughead called out from the kitchen as he went to meet her,

 

"Yeah," She replied as she shut the door behind her, toeing off her shoes.

 

"You disappeared," Jughead laughed,

 

"Oh," Bettys face seemed to drop, "Sorry, I went shopping. I should have text or someth-"

 

"Hey, Betty its okay," Jughead interrupted her rambling, "This is your house too remember? You can come and go as you please."

 

"Right," Betty smiled, albeit a little one, and continued through to the kitchen.

 

Jughead trailed behind her, "So what'd you buy?"

 

"Groceries," she digs around in one of the bags for a second, "and these." She hands Jughead a styrofoam container which he opens to discover two pancakes that he recognizes are from his work. "I didn't know how you liked them so  I bought these too, just in case." She pulled out both a can of whipped cream and a bottle of maple syrup.

 

"You bought me pancakes?" Jughead askes, the grin on his face only growing when he see's the blush that covers Betty's face.

 

"Well I was gonna make them but there was no mixture so I went to the store to get some and uhm decided to get some other stuff..." Betty trailed off at the end of the sentence as Jughead looked at her with a smile on his face,

 

"Thank you Betty, but you really didn't have to go through all this trouble for pancakes."

 

"It was no trouble," She answered smiling sweetly, "It was a nice walk too."

They stood in silence for a moment before Betty turned back to the groceries, unpacking them into the correct places after a minute of looking around.

 

"You look better," Jughead commented as he watched her and when he see's betty tense he realises it might have been the wrong thing to say. But it was true she did look better.

She raised her hand to her eye which now had a blueish/purplish bruise forming around it, the swelling had went down a lot and it was fully open now.

 

"I just meant that you're mo-"

 

"I feel better," She states interrupting him, as she went back to unpacking the shopping.

Jughead stands awkwardly for a second not sure if he's upset Betty or if she genuinely means she feels better.

 

He clears his throat after a moment, "I'll get plates."

 

"Oh," Betty says folding away the bags, "You go ahead, I'm going to shower."

 

Jughead wants to ask her to sit and eat with him but she's already down the hall.

 

Its almost an hour later when Betty finally emerges from the bathroom, she was wearing some faded blue jeans and a yellow sweater, her hair was still wet and fell down her back.

She leaves Jughead's room with her laptop under her arm, wordlessly she sits in on the coffee table and heads to the kitchen. When she comes back she's biting into an apple -which she must have bought at the store because Jughead definitely didn't have any of those- and drops down next to Jughead on the sofa, picking her laptop back up and starts typing.

The pair type in silence for a while, Jughead is the first to break the comfortable silence.

 

"Working?"

 

"Yeah," She responds typing the end of the sentence before continuing, "I called my boss on the walk to the store, she said in lucky I still have my job after disappearing for days without reason." Betty says is with a shrug but Jughead can tell its bothering her and starts typing again, her lips drawn into a tight line.

He doesn't press her on it though as he gets back to working on his own laptop.

 

They work away the hours of the day, its nearing the evening when a knock at the door interrupts them. Jughead is the one to answer it, completely unsurprised to see his best friend standing there.

 

"Veronica Lodge, to who do I owe the pleasure?"

She laughs and walks past him into the apartment, freezing when she see's betty sitting on the couch.

 

"Apologizes," Veronica says when she see's the confused look on betty's face, "I didn't realise he had company, I'm Veronica Lodge."

 

"Betty Cooper," Betty shakes Veronica's out reached hand and moves her laptop from the seat beside her, leaving room for veronica to sit down.

 

"If my memory serves correct, you came to the coffee shop this morning and ordered two plain pancakes?"

 

"Yeah, that was me."

 

Veronica smiles and Jughead clears his throat, "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but why are you here exactly?"

 

"A girl cant drop in just to see her best friend?"

 

"I mean sure she can," Jughead drops down onto the arm rest beside Jughead, "But you don't."

 

"Fine, I was hoping you would accompany me and my latest beau on a night out. Drinks on me?"

 

"You want me to voluntarily third wheel?"

 

"Not third wheel, Jug"

 

Betty tries not to pay to much attention to the two bickering friends, suddenly feeling like she's invading their privacy somehow.

 

"Sorry Veronica, but I refuse to put myself in that position. Again."

 

"Oh come on Jug," Veronicas voice is now more desperate as she pleads Jughead to accompany her, "You can bring Betty!"

 

 

"Huh?" Both Betty and Jughead say in unison as Veronica suddenly gets really excited,

"That way you wont be third wheeling!"

 

Jughead eyes Betty cautiously, "Veronica I don't know if that's a-"

 

"What do you say, B?" Veronica says, completely disregarding Jughead, "You up for a night out?"

 

Betty looks to Jughead as though she's asking for permission and Jughead shrugs, knowing fine well that if Betty agrees, he will too.

"Uh sure," Betty says in the most convincing voice she can muster, "Why not."

 

"Thank you!" Veronica squealed like an excited child, "I can already tell we are going to become best friends Betty Cooper!"

 

Jughead lets out a snort as Veronica lunges forward to engulf betty in a smothering hug.

 

"Okay," Veronica says standing, "Smithers is waiting for me. Meet me down stairs at nine, dressed and ready, I'll have Smithers drive us."

Jughead sees the overly excited raven haired girl out.

 

"Is that the girl you were talking about? What happened to her eye?"

Jughead glanced back towards Betty who was once again typing away on her laptop, "I told you, she had some stuff going on."

"Well, is she okay?"

 

"She will be."

 

After that Jughead ushered her out, not missing the raised eyebrows and suggestive eyebrows she shots him as the door closes, before dropping back down onto the couch beside Betty.

 

"She seemed nice," Betty said, but she sounded uncertain.

 

"You don't have to come, you know?" Jughead said sincerely, "I know Veronica can be a bit...much sometimes but she means well."

 

"No I want to," Again her voice suggested otherwise, "It'll be nice to get out again."

 

Jughead nodded, and stood, "Okay, we can go."

  
When nine o'clock rolled around, Betty and Jughead were standing outside the apartment building waiting on Veronica -or more accurately, Smithers- to pick them up.

 

Betty had panicked when it was time to get ready as she realized she had packed nothing that passed at party attire and if the clothes Veronica was wearing earlier that day were anything to go by, nothing that was going to compare to what everyone else was wearing. She was about to tell Jughead she couldn't go especially after he had walked out of the bathroom wearing a black dress shirt  tucked into his black skinny jeans and suspenders hanging down, and of course his signature beanie. His outfit looked so effortless but so put together at the same time. Betty knew she would have nothing that wouldn't make her look stupid next to Jughead and Veronica. She had huffed and sat down on the bed, staring at the contents of her bag that were now laid across the floor.

 

Three light knocks came from the other side of the door and betty sighed before shouting;

"Come in!"

 

Slowly, the door creaked open and Jughead's peaked in,

"Hey, you ready?"

 

Betty laughed, she was still very obviously in the clothes she had been wearing earlier,

"I don't have anything to wear."

 

Jughead opened the door completely and joined Betty on the bed, seemingly examining the items on the floor. All of which were a pastel sweater or some variety and light coloured jeans, other stuff being leggings or blouses.

 

"Why don't you wear those?" Jughead pointed to, quite clearly, a random pair of jeans that were lying on the floor.

 

Betty laughed again, "I can't wear jeans, Jug. Especially next to veronica."

 

"Veronica?" Jughead asked puzzled, "Trust me, she doesn't care what you wear."

 

"No its not that," Betty tried but she didn't know how to say that she was worried that others would compare her clothes to veronica's, so instead she said, "It doesn't matter."

 

It was almost as if Jughead knew what she was trying to say anyway as he stood up, said, "One second," And then left the room. When he came back he was holding a deep red skirt and scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "This was Veronica's, she left it here. You could you wear it, if you want."

 

Betty considered it for a moment, "Wouldn't that be weird? wearing her clothes when she's there."

 

"Veronica has so many clothes, she wont even notice."

 

Betty looked around the floor for something that would go with the skirt when her eyes settled on a white blouse with a peter pan collar.

"I'll try it on." 

 

Jughead smiled and left Betty to change.

 

Once she had changed, and spent about 15 minuets staring in the mirror, she slowly opened the bedroom door to see Jughead leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone. When he finally looked up, his mouth fell open slightly and Betty was just waiting on him to tell her to _'go change'_ but he didn't. Instead he said;

"wow."

 

Betty smiled awkwardly, "It's a little short," She tugged at the edge of the skirt that feel just bellow mid thigh. She had been surprised when the skirt had fit when she remembered back to how tiny Veronica was.

 

"No, it looks...You look good."

 

Betty blushed and tried to sound confident when she said, "Thank you," But it came out in a quiet whisper.

 

Jughead just smile and tucked his phone in his pocket, "You ready?"

 

Betty nodded and slipped on a pair of white vans that sat by the door.

  
When Veronica finally pulled up she was, as betty had guessed, in full glam. The raven haired girl had gotten out of the back of the black car to meet them.

"Jughead jones," She said in mock disbelief, "I didn't think you owed anything other than flannels and those weird old faded shirts. Looking very dapper."

Jughead rolled his eyes and tugged on his beanie, as if he was trying to cover the blush that was slowly spreading across his cheeks.

 

"Omg b, I love that skirt!" Veronica looked over Betty's outfit and Betty wanted to cover up on someway, "It really shows off your legs!"

Veronica seemed to mean what she said, but a part of Betty's brain was telling her that she was only saying that to be nice. Still, Betty smiled and thanked her.

 

"Well, what are we waiting for? Lets go!"

  
The club was big, and crammed full with people. Veronica waltzed through the people as though they weren't there, and Betty tried to keep up, but after a second she lost the other girl and began to panic. That was until she felt a hand placed softly on the bottom of her back. She looked around to see Jughead smiling down at her, as he guided her through the crowds of people. His hand not dropping until they were at the table that Veronica and what must have been her date were sitting at.

"Oh there you are!" Veronica said as the pair slid into the booth, "Guys this is Archie, Archie this is Betty and Jughead!"

 

They exchanged some 'nice to meet yous' and handshakes, before the group fell into an awkward silence, Veronica of course, was more than happy to fill the silence with a;

"B, how about some drinks?"

 

Veronica was giving this puppy dog look at betty, so she stood and left with Veronica to go to the bar.

Once they came back the boys with mid conversation, and seemed to be getting along pretty well. The girls slid into their respective booths, and Archie casually placed his arm around Veronica, turning to smile at her before turning to carry on the conversation.

 

It made Betty's heart ache a little, as the realisation hits her that she hadn't had something like that in a while. A love that's new and exciting, she had lost that with Adam just months into the relationship.

 

Before she could get lost to far down memory lane, she felt Jughead nudge her arm, and he gave her a look which she had learned was a silent, 'are you okay?'

She smiled and nudged him back before trying to tune back into whatever conversation they were having, not missing the smirk that Veronica gave Jughead.

 

"So how long have you two been together?"

 

Jughead breathed in the swig of the beer he had drank and began chocking and coughing.

 

"Oh, uh were not," Betty answered as Veronica chuckled from the other side of the table.

 

 

"Archiekins,” Veronica started, her tone teasing, “Betty and Jughead are merely roommates, they only met a week ago.”

 

“A week ago?” Archie asked, oblivious to Veronica’s teasing, “and you already live together?”

 

“It’s a...complicated situation,” Jughead said, giving Veronica a warning look from across the table.

 

“Yeah, feelings are complicated,” Veronica winked towards Betty who shuffled in her seat. Jughead seemed to sense this - yet again- as she put an end to the conversation by saying;

 

“Veronica.”

 

“Fine, I’m sorry!” She put her hands up in defence, “it’s just been so long since you’ve had a girl in your life Jug.”

 

 

“It’s not like that,” Jughead replied sort of bitterly, not wanting to make Betty anymore uncomfortable then she already was.

 

“Why else would you move in with someone you just met?”

 

Betty's fingers began to twitch inwards, her fingernails itching to break through the skin that was just beginning to heal from the previous night.

 

“Can we drop this?" It was obvious by Jughead tone an posture, his arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were narrowed as if he was trying to stare Veronica down from the other side of the table.

 

"Betty!"

 

All heads whipped round to where the overly chirpy voice had sounded from. It was Cheryl, the redheaded girl Betty had found in her house with Adam -betty pushed down the nauseous feeling that came from seeing the girl again.-

 

"Hey Cheryl,"

 

"I believe I'm still owed a phone call, Oui?"

 

In all honesty, Betty hadn't even considered calling her. The number sat, burring a hole into her contact list.

 

"Sorry, I've just been so busy lately..."

 

"No worries!" Cheryl said, this overly big -kind of fake looking- smile still plastered on her face, "I'm sure you can make it up to me by having a drink with me?"

 

Betty eyed the rest of the group, a silent apology, Veronica however just smiled and shuffled further round the table, making room for Cheryl at the end.

 

"I'm Cheryl Blossom, and you are.."

 

"I'm Veronica, this is Archie and that's Jughead."

 

"Jughead," Cheryl repeated, clearly amused.

 

Jughead just nodded giving no further explanation. Silence fell over the group and Betty was racking her brain for some sort of conversation that would keep everyone interested. This was deemed unnecessary however when Cheryl complemented Veronicas dress and the two instantly flew into a conversation about clothes and brands and things that Betty just couldn't relate too. Jughead and Archie had fallen into a steady conversation about cars and videogames, and that Betty could relate to even less.

 

It was times like this that made Betty miss Kevin. It didn't matter who else was there when they went out, because the two were always laughing about something or out on the dance floor, jumping around on the dance floor. She let out a sad sigh, at the memory of her best friend who she'd lost all contact with. She wants to call him, just to have him say 'I told you so!' because he did, Kevin was always right.

It wasn't until she felt Jughead nudge her leg with his that she even noticed that she had completely zoned out. The entire group was looking at her, confused.

 

"You okay, Betty?" It was Archie that spoke and it was then that Betty felt the sting in her palms.

 

"Yeah," She said giving a small smile, "Excuse me."

 

She vaguely heard Jughead say her name as she slid away from the table and rushed towards the bathroom. She didn't unclench her fists until she was in front of the sink. The skin had just barely broke and the blood was only just begging to form. Sighing with relief, she rinsed her hands under the sink, before splashing her face with water -one of the few pros of no longer owning make up- and turned to leave when she saw Veronica and Cheryl standing by the door way.

 

"You okay, B?"

 

"Yeah, fine" She replied, "Just needed a minute."

 

"Are you sure, Betty?" It was Cheryl talking this time and the look on her face showed that she didn't believe betty at all, it was the same expression she had that day with Adam.

 

Betty nodded, "I'm sure."

 

"Okay," Veronica said, "I'm pretty sure it was the boys turn to buy drinks."

 

After the girls settled back into their seats, the conversation slowly built back up, this time they made a more conscious attempt at including Betty which Betty was thankful for but she couldn't help feeling guilty for her little drama moment earlier.

The more the group talked, the more drinks were ordered. Jughead seemed to pace himself a lot better than everyone else as he sipped at his beer whilst the others chugged theirs.

 

Eventually, Veronica got bored of talking about work or jobs or whatever else it was they were talking about and abruptly stood up.

 

"I feel like dancing, who's coming?"

 

"Count me in!" Cheryl said standing,

 

"Archiekins?"

 

At this point Betty was sure Archie would bungee jump without a rope if Veronica asked, as he stood up and placed a hand around her waist.

 

"What about you Betts? You coming?"

 

Betty smiled politely at Veronica but shook her head, "I think I'll sit this one out."

 

Veronica shrugged and smiled, turning in Jughead's direction as if to ask him but her mouth fell shut as they both chucked.

The group walked away, leaving Jughead and Betty sitting by themselves.

Betty finished the rest of her drink, deciding that next time around she was defiantly getting water.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

It took Betty a minute to register what he had asked as the music seemed to grow louder, and Jughead must have read her silence as a no as immediately his face feel and his had reached for her arm.

 

"Yeah," Betty said, shooting Jughead a small smile, "I'm okay."

 

Jughead nodded and dropped his hand from her arm and Betty ignored the flicker of disappointment that flashed through her as he did so.

 

"So, how come your not dancing?"

 

Betty laughed, "Dancing next to Veronica and Cheryl? I don't think my self esteem could handle that.

 

"Betty..." Jughead said, dejectedly.

 

"It was a joke, Juggie, it was supposed to be funny."

 

"You're beautiful, you do know that?"

 

"Jughead..."

 

"Because you say stuff like this and it completely baffles me how you don't see it," Jughead took Betty's hands, and Betty's stomach began to turn, "You are easily one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. And I promise that one day, you'll see it too."

 

Betty isn't sure when it happens, but Jughead's hand had somehow found it's way to her cheek and she's leaning into his touch,

"Okay?" He asks softly

 

Betty struggles to swallow around the lump in her throat, "Okay," She whispers back.

 

Just a she thinks he might be leaning in.... he pulls away. Dropping his hand from her cheek and letting the hand he was still holding go.

 

This time the disappointment didn't just flicker away, it suck down to the pit of her stomach and just sat there.

Betty isn't even sure why she feels disappointed in the first place, its not as if she likes Jughead.

Deciding firmly that it must be the alcohol, she stands.

 

"I'm gonna grab some water, do you want anything?"

 

"Oh, I can come with yo-"

 

"No you keep the table, I'll go."

 

"Uh, I'll have a water too, thanks."

 

Betty smiles and waves her way through the crowds of people in order to get to the bar. All of the bartenders and tending to someone so Betty politely orders her waters and sits on one of the stools patiently.

 

"Betty?"

Betty turns in her chair, not recognising the person talking to her.

 

"Yes?" She answers warily,

 

"It's Calum, Adams friend!"

 

"Oh," Betty tried to hide the hint of panic in her voice, "Hey,"

 

"He told me the news, sorry things ended like that."

 

"Thanks," Betty answered, looking past the man she still didn't recognize - even with a name-, trying to look for an excuse to leave.

 

"I mean, I knew he was stupid, but breaking up with you? That's just down right retarded."

 

Betty's attention, flicked back to man speaking, "What did you just say?"

 

"That's what happened right? He broke it off?"

 

"No that's- no" Betty said, taken a back, "It that what he's saying?"

 

"That's what he told us," Calum said with a shrug, "Something about you being super psycho."

 

"He really said that?"

 

"Mhm," The man took a swig of the beer in his hand, it was the same kind that Adam used to drink, "For what its worth though, I don't think anyone actually believes him."

 

"I-"

 

"I mean," Calum continued, cutting Betty off, "Everyone could see how much you worshiped that boy, he didn't deserve it."

 

"Who has he told?" There was a lump in Betty's throat now for an entirely different reason, her nails finding the already open wounds in her hands and this time pressing so hard that she knew they were going to bleed.

 

"Oh, you know, just like Lewis and that."

 

Truth is Betty didn't know who 'Lewis and that' was but she nodded and visibly swallowed.

 

"Two waters?" The bartender, who looked really sweaty and frankly exhausted, shouted over to Betty.

She didn't waist another second, before picking up the glasses and turning, "I have to go."

 

"Wait Betty!"

 

She stopped where she stood but didn't turn around, waiting on what other mood ruining words could come out this persons mouth.

 

"I'm sorry, for the way he acted," He placed a hand on Betty's arm and all Betty could think about is how much she wanted to

burn it, "I know I should have said something, but boys will be boys, right?"

 

"Right." Betty repeated, biting her tongue and walking away.

  
"There you are, I was about to come and find you,"

 

Betty gave Jughead a small smile and passed him a glass of water. It wasn't until she had sat her own glass back down on the table that she noticed the crimson marks that were smeared across both glasses. Her head whipped round to Jughead whose face was screwed up and he was reaching for a napkin.

 

"Bartender must have cut himself,"

 

"Shit," Betty muttered, closing her fist under the table and staring at them like they belonged to someone else.

  
"What's wrong?" Jughead asked cluelessly, grudgingly wiping the blood from the side of the cup.

 

Betty had no idea what to say or do, and it seemed like she didn't have to as Jughead had already followed her line of sight down to where the now drying blood covered her finger nails.

 

"I..."

 

"Betty," Jughead said confused, "Can I see your hands?"

 

Betty felt her fist clench, she loosened her fingers but pulled them closer to her, "Please don't think I'm weird!"

 

"Never," There was a sadness in Jughead's voice that made Betty felt bad for even talking to him, "Can I look?"

 

Betty hesitated, refusing to meet Jughead's eyes as she tried to think of a way out of this. He had already seen her at her lowest, it wasn't right to burden him any more. But when he quietly whispered a:

 

"Please?"

 

Betty took a deep breath and unfolded her hands, not daring to look at Jughead's face as he gently placed his hands around Betty's wrists.

 

"You don't have to say anything Jug," Betty murmured quietly, still refusing to meet Jughead's eyes.

Jughead didn't say anything for a while, then he carefully let go of Betty's hands. She pulled them back into her lap.

 

"Do you want to leave?" He asked, his voice didn't sound as gentle as it had just moments ago, it had a hard edge around it that make Betty's chest tighten.

 

Betty shook her head, trying to swallow the feeling of her anxiety staring to rise, "I agreed to come out, it would be wrong to just leave."

 

"I'll tell them you weren't feeling well," Betty couldn't ignore the roughness of his voice and found herself nodding, not wanting to further anger him, "Okay, give me a second and we'll go."

 

Betty's head shout up. She hadn't mean he had to come. She tried to tell him that, but before she could get the words he was off in the direction of the dance floor. Betty's eye began to well with tears, she tried to take deep breaths, she tried counting to ten and then back again but the thought of her upsetting Jughead wouldn't let her calm down. _How could she be so stupid?_ She managed to upset yet another person who had tried to help.

 

"Betty?" Jughead stood beside her, and Betty's head whipped round.

 

When Jughead saw the tears steadily making their way down her face, it was instinct to lean down and wipe them away.

 

Betty hadn't meant to flinch, not at Jughead. But after hearing his tome earlier, and suddenly seeing his had reaching for her face, she had had pulled back immediately.

 

Jughead's hands shot back, he seemed speechless as he opened and closed his mouth, searching for words.

"Betty I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

 

Betty wiped at the tears on her face that refused to stop flowing, "It's okay, I shouldn't have thought..."

 

"Really Betty, I would never-"

 

"I know." Betty cut in, the last thing she wanted was for him to feel bad, "Can we go?"

 

"Yeah, yeah of course."

 

On shaky legs, Betty stood and slowly made for the exit, Jughead close behind her. His arms hovered behind her back but stayed just an inch away, scared to startle her.

 

Once they were outside, Betty's breathing hadn't evened out much and Jughead felt stuck. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do know, she had never jumped from him before.

 

Betty stood beside the wall, her hands wrapped around herself. She tried to even out her breaths as she looked at Jughead who was furiously typing out something on his phone. She wanted to talk to him, she wanted to apologize for making him feel bad, or for making him leave early but she couldn't bring herself to move from the wall that she leant against.

 

"Betts?" Jughead spoke with caution as he walked towards her, "You need to breathe."

 

Betty nodded but the words didn't register. She flattened and unflattened her palms against her things, fighting the urge to give in and make a fist.

 

"Betty," He tried again softly, "Can I hold your hand?"

 

Betty nodded again, too far gone at this point to form an answer.

 

Jughead gently took Betty's hands in his, "Breathe Betty."

 

Betty tried but each time, her breath came out more strained than the one before.

 

"Come on, deep breaths." Jughead was pleading now, his hands squeezing betty's lightly.

 

When it didn't work again, Betty started to choke. It sounded pained as she gripped onto his hands, she sounded seconds away from throwing up.

 

"Breath with me Betty," He said, placing her hand onto his chest, "I'm right here, baby."

 

It took a few long seconds before Betty gasped in a big breathe of air.

 

"That's it!" Jughead said, almost crying with relief, "Deep breaths."

 

Bettys eyes screwed shut as she tried for another deep breath. It felt too artificial, like she wasn't actually breathing. After another couple of minuets, they settled out, her breathing became less raged and painful.

 

Jughead took a deep breath of his own as he watched the girl in front of him start to ground herself again. When her eyes finally opened, Jughead couldn't think of anything else to say apart from, "Hey, you."

 

"Jug I-"

 

"Shhh, I know" Jughead said, tentatively pulling her towards his chest, "Lets get you home."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and criticism are always welcome!
> 
> thank you for reading!!
> 
> find me on tumblr and Instagram @cmtsucks for updates and stuff!

**Author's Note:**

> Betty's way of thinking in this story is VERY unhealthy, and I promise that she will get happier eventually.
> 
> Comments and critisim is always welcome :)


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